Tinker and Chill

Originally aired on the 10th of February. Abstract: The Art of Design’s second episode is a must-watch for every sneaker lover around the world. This Netflix Original, is a documentary style series that covers all the facets of design. Topics ranging from architecture, interior, to graphic and automotive design.

The episode to watch for us footwear-conscious folk, however, is the one that revolves around the world of Tinker Hatfield. You all need to dedicate at least 40 minutes of your life to it. I’ve watched this episode about five times already trying to put into words how necessary this is for you, and it’s still incredible.

If you haven’t heard of this legendary man, you’ve come to the right spot. If you have heard of Tinker, you’re still in for quite the treat. Watching this mini documentary feels like spending an entire day with a man that forever changed the face of Nike and the sneaker world itself. Footwear today would not be the same without him. Would you believe me if I said that Nike would’ve probably lost Michael Jordan if it weren’t for Tinker Hatfield? No? Well go hear the story from the man himself.

Alongside his Airness; Nike’s CEO, Mark Parker, helps to tell stories of Tinker’s history. Whether you’re new to the game, or you’re well-versed in sneaker past, there’s so many things to see and learn. From how the Air Max 1 came to be, to creating a legitimate, functional Nike Air Mag from Back to The Future II. Tinker Hatfield walks you through his life, how he came to be and my favourite portion of the episode; a stroll down memory lane with the Air Jordan line.

Sketches, inspirations, design philosophies; Hatfield covers it all. From being an athlete first, to his relationship with Nike’s Co-Founder, Bill Bowerman. It’s hard to watch it without learning something new. Bet you can’t name all the kicks that Tinker’s worked on! I most definitely could not.

Now, if you’re still reading this article, thank you. But if you’ve already dropped this tab, clicked on Netflix and started watching this, I can’t be upset. I’m not sure how else to say that you need to watch this if you haven’t yet. It’s inspirational, eye-opening and just so enlightening.